Link to post

Share on other sites

rainfall will affect fishing, especially heavy rains. it really disturbs the ph balance and they will shut off

on sunny days, shade, and deep water will be your best bet for quality bass. the small ones will be everywhere regardless of conditions

schoolies on top means topwater time. carefully examine what thie baitfish look like that they are bustin on. ussualy a spook or a white pop-r will work. a fluke and rooster tail works great in this situation also

Share on other sites

1.- It depends a lot on how strong and intense and for how long the rain lasts. Obviousley that 's very difficult and uncomfortable to fish in the middle of a downpour. But there 's that kind of rain, you know that soft rain that only dapples the surface of the lake that I like to fish. Rain is like a dropping a nuke on flying insects, it just drps them on the lake which triggers bluegill activity since they are insect feeders. After the downpor has passed creeks are prime bass hunting ground, strong rain washes away insects from the surrounding terrain into the lake, alos it washes away soil from the surrounding terrain into the lake, besides it cooler water enters the lake and decreases the water temperature. All this means: food for the forage base ( terrestrial insects ), less visibilty ( washed away soil ) and cooler temperature-------> prime bass hunting conditions, after the downpour you have to be where the creek enters the lake.

2.- Some conditions overrun others, sunny after several days of rain; several days of rain overrun sunny conditions, if the current is strong enough all the area will be active, if the current is not strong shady side will be the place to be.

3.- When bass form wolf packs to attack schools of fish usually the bigger fish will be below the average fish of the pack, they use average size fish to "herd" the baitfish, they leave the dirty work of stunning fish to the smaller ones to later feed on those stunted fish. Will the lure make a difference ? you can bet it does, use sining lures an allow them to sink to fish for the bigger fish. Rarely surface lures attract bigger fish, on very rare ocassions that I have fished when the hunt is on I get big fish with surface lures, the only exception is the spook, walk the dog lures draw the attention of big fish, normally the lure is too large for smaller fish.

You 're welcome !

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

1- I absolutely love rain, especially thundershowers. A gust front (that big blow just before a thunderstorm hits) may yield you the biggest fish of your life, as its always accompanied by a sharp drop in barometric pressure and the fish will go into a feeding frenzy. The downside is you may get hit by lightning. I once was in a big fish area when a gust front came up and in a span of about 5 quick minutes caught 3 fish over 7 lbs. and had 20# line broken several times. For that experience I will risk lightning.

If there is enough rain for run off, Raul is correct, the fish will move into shallow water to eat the food washed off the land. Everyone should experience once in their life fishing a rice ditch when the rice field is being drained - anything you throw will get bit immediately and often fish will intercept your bait in the air. I have seen fish over 5lbs. actually jump up into the discharge pipes like salmon going up waterfalls. I also have a creek channel in a lake I fish that has a waterfall of about 4 feet into a pool about 6 feet deep that is always connected to the main lake pool, but the creek only flows with rain run off. When there is run off, bass will stack up in that pool like cordwood.

2) I'll fish shade vs. unshaded water of the same depth 100% of the time. Except in really clear water lakes, once you get about 10-12' deep, shade no longer makes any difference.

3) I never fish a topwater for schooling fish. I will fish a swimming grub that matches the baitfish they are feeding on. It easy to cast, has a single exposed hook that hooks fish easily and you rarely lose a fish, and if it doesn't get bit quickly it sinks down to where larger fish usually are lurking. If they don't want the plastic, a small chrome rattletrap will usually work.

Good Luck!

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

1- I absolutely love rain, especially thundershowers. A gust front (that big blow just before a thunderstorm hits) may yield you the biggest fish of your life, as its always accompanied by a sharp drop in barometric pressure and the fish will go into a feeding frenzy. The downside is you may get hit by lightning. I once was in a big fish area when a gust front came up and in a span of about 5 quick minutes caught 3 fish over 7 lbs. and had 20# line broken several times. For that experience I will risk lightning.

I don't know about risking lightning... :-/

But...I am curious about why a drop in barometric pressure put the fish into a feeding frenzy?

Does that also mean that a rise in barometric pressure puts the bass in a funk?

Or is just the change in pressure that does it?

(I'm also surprised that bass can feel a change in air pressure if they are 20 feet underwater...)

Interesting stuff...

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

It 's the weather events that come with the change in pressure what alter the behavior of fish Shiloh, low pressure means clouds and probable rain ----> low light penetration and food washed from the rain into the lake specially after a thunderstorm, alos the water gets murky; high pressure means clear skies few or could cover non existant----> high light penetration. Cloudy days keep the fish shallow, sunny days keep the fish deep or in shade.

Share on other sites

Ok, its been a while since I've read up on this so anyone please correct me if I am wrong!

With the barometric pressure. Periods of stable pressure result in good fishing. If the pressure rises or falls gradually, fishing will be generally better than normal. But if the pressure rises or falls sharply, bass can't adjust quick enough (its kinda like going up a mountain and having your ears pop) and they will go deeper water where the air pressure has less of an impact on them. Hope this helps!

Share this post

Link to post

Share on other sites

Ya'll are missing the boat on schooling fish if you "never fish top water". While they are busting, throw a popping cork with a Mepp's Pop N Spot on about a two - four ft leader and work it back in quick jerks. Also try a popping cork with a 3 - 4 ft leader and a white Fluke (not a super fluke) worked much slower. One jerk pops the fluke to the surface, let it settle a few seconds and then another jerk to pop it back up again. When they stop breaking and hitting the top water, then throw a Middle N or Deep Little N and your traps. Large mouth normally only stay up a few seconds at the time so you have to be positioned in an area the are subject to break in and be ready and able to make long cast. My weapon of choice is a 7 1/2' MH trigger rod with a wide spool (Ambassador) baitcastor spooled with 17# line and use the 5" popping corks. Last weekend, me, my granddaughter and my dad probably caught 30 - 40, some in the 3 - 4 pound size. 95% of those were on topwater with the popping cork rigs.

The bigger bass seem to go for the Fluke better, but the numbers are on the Pop N Spot. The Pop N Spot also works better for Hybreds but still the bigger Hybreds hit the fluke better.

Forgot to mention, take a couple of bags of fluke and several Pop N Spots. I order the Mepp's two - three dozen at the time and a dozen 4" and 5" popping corks at the time.